Stereotypes about Germans/Germany

[Keef]

Germans still love and idolize the Hoff.

This. I worked at a company a few years ago where the bosses were sent from Germany for 2-year duty cycles. One of my fellow employees was messing with him one day and mentioned David Hasselhoff. The guy went crazy like a school girl for Britney Spears. It was hilarious. Imagine a grown man, all smiles, high-pitched German-accented giggles, the whole bit.

 

[Dennisch]

 

[Inferno251]

I think I should post a similar thread about Russia/Russians.

I'd love to see that!

 

[Mikeybc]

Things I think of when I hear Germany are great optics, great cars and Sgt. Schultz.

 

[Prenny]

This is what i think about Germany:

And i forgot to put Rammstein.

 

[Pseudopod]

Beer.
Efficiency.
Lack of humor.

 

[ultimate]

Tall -> yes true, many germans are rather tall
Beer -> also very true lol
German womens are beautiful -> very very true
All blond -> partially true but most of germans are rather blond or light brown
Lack of humor -> i know they dont like black humor about Hitler but they are funny for anything else so i would say they dont have a lack of humor
But i find german as coolest people, they were very kind to me, any german is peaceful and helpful

 

[Prenny]

Tall -> yes true, many germans are rather tall
Beer -> also very true lol
German womens are beautiful -> very very true
All blond -> partially true but most of germans are rather blond or light brown
Lack of humor -> i know they dont like black humor about Hitler but they are funny for anything else so i would say they dont have a lack of humor
But i find german as coolest people, they were very kind to me, any german is peaceful and helpful

Man, how i wished i was German.

 

[watermelon punch]

I forgot about KMFDM! Takes me back thinking of nostalgia of my youth.

I'm perhaps better informed about Germans than the average American because of having pen-pals in Germany from over 25 years ago. (I still keep in touch with some today. Including one I met in the late 1990s. I had/have pen-pals from both Western & Eastern. And I've also met many Germans on this forum too.)

So I was set straight many years ago about the Bavarian thing being not representative of Germany - which was funny because prior to that, I hadn't heard of anything Bavarian really until my pen-pal made a point to mention it. haha. She had to then explain the Bavarian thing to me. But she had thought to bring it up because of how she felt that so many people thought all of Germany was Bavarian, but she had no connection to or experience in anything Bavarian at all.
I felt it was similar to thinking that me, in Pennsylvania, would have much knowledge or experience of things about Texas, Hawaii, Louisiana, or New England states... which of course there are traditions & stuff particular to those states that are distinct.

But I guess I do have these "preconceived notions" about Germans. Demonstrated by these experiences...

I met 2 Germans in the course of my work last year. Both middle-aged men.
One has lived here for many years. He had very pro-business opinions (which he told me about for what reason I don't know), that seemed very anti-worker to me. Which is the opposite of what I think of Germans... as having a culture that's very pro-worker... what with "Work Councils" being very involved in the running of even large businesses in Germany.

The other was a German tourist who was touring the U.S., camping and such.
He seemed rather like a hippie or something. Long-hair and burly. Sort of an odd cross between a mountain man and a granola tree hugger.
He was very friendly... outgoing and gregarious.
I think these things surprised me too.
Because I guess I sort of think of Germans as being rather more reserved and more urban.

I hope this gives some Germans a chuckle. heehee